More women than ever are buying firearms, according to gun shop owners in Louisville and Southern Indiana.Many gun ranges now offer classes and training geared toward females only.At Open Range in Crestwood, Thursday is considered "Ladies Night" and the women come armed with the essentials."I have a .38 special Smith and Wesson," said Denise Littrell."It's a .357 Magnum revolver," added Lisa Warren.And Sonia Robinson said, "Too many to count."Thursday's "two for one" special at the range means two women shoot for the price of one. Over the past year, the number of women buying and shooting guns at Open Range has doubled, according to CEO Barry Laws.He said guns are a power equalizer for women."If you want to take the assumption that maybe you're not the biggest person in the world, and I might be strategically stronger than you in certain areas, with a firearm, we're equal," said Laws.Sissy Caye, 65, and Janet Pfeister, 68, are preparing to apply for Kentucky's concealed carry license. Like most of the women at the range, their main reason for learning how to handle and shoot a gun is self-defense."I leave work late. I go in early and I just like to have protection if I need it," said Littrell."If I ever need to have that option, I have it and I'm comfortable with using the gun and handling it," said Warren.Just last month, police said a man with a knife approached a woman in a downtown Louisville parking garage demanding everything she had. The woman pulled out a gun and shot him."I thought it was really empowering for women, in that she could do that, and that she had the confidence to do that," said Emily Mattingly."You have to protect yourself, being vulnerable, being a woman, you have to really protect yourself, I felt like it was justified," said Pam Stiger.Rick Fach, at ESR Tactical in Jeffersonville, said many of his new customers are women."We're seeing a lot more people, probably four times the amount of people we had before," said Fach.Pew research shows women make up just about 25 percent of gun owners in the U.S. but experts say that number is growing. And women, they said, have better aim."Women, when they're shooting, you tell them what to do, they process the information, they do it, they get a bulls-eye, and then it's like 'lets go eat something,'" said Laws.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

More women than ever are buying firearms, according to gun shop owners in Louisville and Southern Indiana.

At Open Range in Crestwood, Thursday is considered "Ladies Night" and the women come armed with the essentials.

"I have a .38 special Smith and Wesson," said Denise Littrell.

"It's a .357 Magnum revolver," added Lisa Warren.

And Sonia Robinson said, "Too many to count."

Thursday's "two for one" special at the range means two women shoot for the price of one. Over the past year, the number of women buying and shooting guns at Open Range has doubled, according to CEO Barry Laws.

He said guns are a power equalizer for women.

"If you want to take the assumption that maybe you're not the biggest person in the world, and I might be strategically stronger than you in certain areas, with a firearm, we're equal," said Laws.

Sissy Caye, 65, and Janet Pfeister, 68, are preparing to apply for Kentucky's concealed carry license. Like most of the women at the range, their main reason for learning how to handle and shoot a gun is self-defense.

"I leave work late. I go in early and I just like to have protection if I need it," said Littrell.

"If I ever need to have that option, I have it and I'm comfortable with using the gun and handling it," said Warren.